American Face of Insurrection: Analysis of Individuals Charged for Storming the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 Chicago Project on Security and Threats
Robert Pape  |  January 5, 2022

Who are the January 6th insurrectionists? This report, we present findings from an in-depth analysis of the Americans who have been charged for their part in the January 6, 2021 breach of the US Capitol to stop the certification of Joseph Biden as the president of the United States. As of January 1, 2022, 716 individuals have been charged with illegally entering the Capitol or Capitol grounds on January 6. The report draws on the CPOST January 6 Database, which records a wide spectrum of demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic characteristics as well as militant group ties, military experience for each defendant.  The main finding of this report is that the insurrectionists are a cross-section of America.  They closely reflect the US electorate on most socio-economic variables, with the vast majority employed in white- and blue-collar occupations, including many business owners.  In short, they come from the mainstream, not just the fringe of society.

To download the report, click here.